Many cats have a habit of standing on their hind legs and using their front paws to scratch any convenient object. This practice appears to help a cat to keep its claws in good condition and also enables the cat to exercise by stretching its body and leg muscles. However, this habit can be very annoying when the animal chooses to scratch against an item of furniture or a decorated part of the house.
Products are commercially available that are intended to permit a cat to indulge in its scratching habit without damaging furniture or the like. One such device, namely is a “scratching post,” is intended to provide a suitable surface for a cat to scratch.
One type of previous cat scratching post includes a horizontal or angled scratching surface disposed on a frame. Most of the horizontal or angled scratching surface type cat scratching posts include strips of corrugated cardboard that are placed vertically within the frame such that one side of each strip is exposed on an upper surface of the cat scratching post to collectively define the scratching surface. Not surprisingly, the cardboard strips must be replaced periodically after the cat(s) shred the cardboard strips. The replacement requires effort and incurs cost on the part of the cat owner. Furthermore, this type of cat scratching post is very mobile, permitting a cat to move the cat scratching post. Sometimes this results in the cat scratching post being moved to an inaccessible location, such as under a couch. In addition, some cats are unwilling to use this type of cat scratching post, making the initial purchase a complete waste.
Another type of cat scratching post includes a vertical scratching surface formed on a mast that, in turn, is attached to a base. Some cats prefer such an arrangement, possibly because is simulates a tree. This type of cat scratching post usually has a rectangular or cylindrical mast extending vertically from the floor by at least the height that a can reach when fully extending and standing on its hind legs, hence presenting the cat with scratching surface(s) extending 360° around the perimeter of the mast and extending as high as the cat can reach.
Many vertical scratching surfaces are covered in a fabric or a rope to provide a surface on which a cat can scratch. Where fabric is used, it is typically wetted and then stretched around the post to form a vertical overlapped seam. The fabric is held in place by a strip of wood placed over the seam. The strip is normally tacked or stapled over the seam in the fabric to secure the fabric in place. However, the tacks or staples present a danger to cats scratching the post, as cats can damage their claws on the tacks or staples. In addition, the cat may be able to pull the strip from the fabric, whereupon the seam is exposed, and the cat can unwrap the fabric from the post.